Reflections
by ThePleasureSeekerHerself
Summary: Hikari-Akemi is a young alchemist from Lior, who wants nothing more than to travel the world and learn all she can. When the Elric brother's come to town, she'll to anything to get them take her on their search for the Philosopher's Stone, even if that means helping exposing the man that brought hope and miracles to her town. (not your average FMA/OC story.)
1. Prologue

**AN. Hey guys so this is my first story about Fullmetal Alchemist, so don't kill me or anything. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it! **

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN FMA, ONLY MY OC'S AND PLOT CHANGES. **

**Prologue**: **Hikari-Akemi**

To say Malaki Ito was a patient man, was as if you said alchemy wasn't a science. His day was long and even thought the sun was long gone, he knew his day wasn't over yet. Malaki had paid his cab extra to rush to his mansion. The ride still felt dragged out as he watched the townspeople of Lior close up their shops and lock their doors for the night. His face tensed when he saw his home in the horizon. He quickly paid the cab driver and rush past the gate to the grounds. Practically throwing the front door open, he was greeted by his wife, Eliza.

"Honey, you're home early!" The blonde smiled, outstretching her arms to embrace him.

He took his jacket off and his top hat, handing them over to their butler. He ignored Eliza's welcome, heading to the room he dreaded going to every night. "Where is Hikari-Akemi, Eliza?" He asked, not looking back at her.

Eliza's smiled faded and was replaced with sadness. "Honey, why don't you relax first? Have some dinner? I made you some herbal tea. You could tell me about your day at the factory." She followed him, hurriedly.

"Eliza is Hikari-Akemi in her room?" Malaki repeated, reaching the stairs. Eliza paused. Malaki turned to her. "Well?" Eliza looked down, answering his question without needing words. Malaki's face went red. "That's the fourth time this week! Eliza what kind of mother are you? You can't even keep track of a thirteen year old! That girl! That dreadful girl!" Malaki angrily walked up the stairs, Eliza staying at the bottom of the stairs, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

Malaki ripped his daughter's door open and scanned her room. The window was left open, wind blowing the curtain back and forth. He let out a grunt before slamming the door shut. He returned back down to the stairs, pushing Eliza out his way as she tried reaching out to him again. He ordered his butler to call for a cab.

"Whe-er—where are you going? Hikari-Akemi will return, she always does." Eliza cried.

"Yes she always comes back, but only to sleep then she sneaks out again. How does she expect to withhold our family's name if she continues to act like a.. like an Ishbalan, an ungrateful monster." Malaki yelled at his wife. "You stupid woman can't even take care of your own child. If you can't do that, what else are you good for?" With that he opened and slammed the door to go wait for his cab. Eliza stared at the spot where her husband had stood in hysterics.

Malaki told the cab driver where to take him and the ride went faster than the ride home had been. The church of the Sun God came into view and Malaki relaxed a little. He entered the church searching for the priest. He found him in the alter room, doing what looked like a blessing on someone. Malaki waiting silently for his turn. He watched the priest with great interest. This man was truly a miracle sent from God. Before his arrival, Lior was nothing but a small desert village. Now thanks to this man Lior was a beautiful, busy, successful town. Malaki's factory was able to take off and now made him the richest man in Lior.

"Malaki Ito." Malaki snapped out of his train of thought at the sound of his name.

"Father Cornello" Malaki breathed in.

Cornello stood in front of him, a giant smile plastered on his face. He put his hands on Malaki's shoulders, giving them a gentle squeeze, sensing Malaki's distress. "What brings you here at such a late hour? Shouldn't you be at home with your family?"

"That's why I am actually here Father." Malaki said, almost sounding defeated. "Hikari-Akemi, I need your help, Father."

"Is she sneaking out again?" Cornello asked leading him over to the alter. Malaki nodded. "Hikari-Akemi, such a beautiful name. You know it means beautiful light? It fits her." Cornello looks down at Malaki. "There isn't a day that I don't spend time praying to the Sun God for her."

"I don't know what to do, Father." Malaki responded. "No form of punishment works on her. I've put bars on her window even, and she still managed to get out. And I found things. Things she's been reading. She hides them under her pillow but one of the maid's brought it to my attention when she was changing the sheets. My maid was terrified because the book taught witchcraft." Malaki knelt down in front of the alter.

Cornello put a comforting hand on his shoulder. His eyebrow raised, and a slight smirk appeared on his face for a second. "Witchcraft?"

"Yes. That's how I believe she's managing to escape her room. Those bars were made out of the strongest steel. How could she get out otherwise using witchcraft? She didn't use the front door. Father, what should I do? I will never be able to marry her off like her older sister if this gets out. The family line will be ruined." Malaki broke. His sobs echoed in the room.

Cornello removed his hand. He didn't speak for a moment. He began to leave the room. Before he left he turned back to Malaki. "I want you to pray. I will pray also, the Sun God believes that you are good man, Malaki, he will help Hikari-Akemi see the light."

_THREE MONTHS LATER_

Hikari-Akemi ran in the gardens behind her house, her hood over her head. She gripped her knapsack tightly. Her brown eyes scanned her surroundings carefully, not wanting to be found. She reached the back of her house and could see her bedroom window. She walked directly under it before bending down, scratching a circle with markings inside of it on the ground. She smirked, she was getting better at drawing perfect circles. Satisfied with her work, she clapped her hands together and slammed them on the ground. Light flashed from the markings and stairs going up to her window appeared. Hikari-Akemi took a second to admire her work, looking at how far she's become as an alchemist. She quickly took the stairs, climbing into her window.

Her feet touched the carpet and the lights instantly turned on. Her blood ran cold. She was afraid to look up. She never got caught sneaking back in. She'd usually get home while her father was still out looking for her. Reluctantly, she picked her head up. Malaki stood there, his eyes glaring at her, his fist clenched and his lips shut tight.

"Father," Hikari-Akemi gasped.

"Witch." He said with venom dripping out of his voice.

"Father," Hikari-Akemi shook her head, as he made his way closer to her, "No, Father, I'm not a witch."

Malaki gripped her arm, tightly, using his other hand to point out the window. "Then what the hell is that!" He sneered. He then dug his nails into her arm when she didn't respond. She whimpered. He then reached into her knapsack, easily pulling out of blue book. "What is this?"

Hikari-Akemi looked at the book. "It's the Basics of Alchemy." She said softly, her body shaking.

"No, witchcraft." He corrected her.

"No, Alchemy." She spat, finding a little bit of courage. "If you think what I do is witchcraft then what do you think Cornello uses to perform his 'miracles'? He does the same as I do! Alchemy! Not some God spent power!" She shouted at him, attempting to break free.

Malaki's blood boiled. "How dare you!" He then hit her across the face with the book, letting it fall to the floor after it smash across her face. "How dare you!" He repeated, throwing her onto her bed. Her hood fell off. She grasped reaching to put it back on her head, but it was too late. Her father had seen what she had been practicing on tonight. "Your hair." He said slowly. "What did you do?"

Where once her long, wavy, strawberry blonde hair was, was now short, layered, deep purplish-blue hair. Hikari-Akemi had been trying to change the color of her bag but accidently got to close to the mixture and some of her hair got in the water, causing this. After realizing the color of her hair she figured it'd be easier to hide it in her hood if it was shorter.

Before Hikari-Akemi could respond, her father pulled her onto the floor and began to furiously kick her. Hikari-Akemi cried out for help from her mom, but knew her mother was smart enough to not try and stop her husband's rage. Malaki stopped when Hikari-Akemi coughed up blood. He took her off the floor and dragged her out of her room. Malaki pushed her down the stairs, looking down at his wife who stood near the front door. Eliza raced to aid her daughter. "

"Don't touch her." He ordered. Eliza. Eliza backed away, miserably. "Is the car here." Eliza nodded. "Good. Get up." He barked at his daughter. Hikari-Akemi just laid there, showing her last act of defiance. "I said get up witch." He kicked her, dragging her up by her hair. Hikari-Akemi screeched, causing Eliza to let out a sob. "Shut up." He ordered both of them. "Let's go." He pushed his daughter along all the way to the car.

The car ride was silent. At some point Hikari-Akemi passed out but was awoken by a pair of arms pulling her out of the car. It was one of Cornello's disciples. "What's going on? Why are we here?" She realized they were at the church. She looked at how her father wasn't leaving the car. "Father! Father! Where are they taking me?" She begged for answers, struggling to get away. Malaki never looked at her. "What's going on! Please, let me go!"

The disciples brought her to the top of the steps. There stood Father Cornello, wearing a twisted smile on his father. "Well look who's finally arrived."

"What's going on? Tell me Cornello!" Hikari-Akemi ordered.

"My dear, it's time that you've paid for your sins." Cornello grinned.

**READ & REVIEW! **


	2. Hang Me Upside Down on a Crucifix

**AN. So here's chapter one! It's set in the present. **

**REVIEW REPLIES**

**OrAngESoul6D6M6: Thanks for the constructive criticism! I purposely made Eliza an awful mother just to show how overpowering her husband is and I will show more detail in how she got that way in future chapters. Also, I don't know if you meant to say Hikari-Akemi or Eliza, but Eliza can't do alchemy. If you meant to say Hikari-Akemi, than she didn't use her alchemy to defend herself just because she was shocked that she got caught by her father. And I had Cornello grin at the end to kinda show how deep down he really is an evil man.**

**fanfictionlovewriter809: Thanks for the support and encouragement. I'm trying to make Hakari-Akemi a different from other OC's that I've read. I'm new to the FMA fanfiction section because I've been to nervous to write for it, lol. And Malaki does really only care about his business and doesn't want her risking his success. Thank you again for all the compliments about my writing and characters :) I hope you continue to enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN FMA, ONLY MY OC'S **

**CHAPTER ONE: **Hang Me Upside Down on a Crucifix ****

A knock came at my door. My head rose up from my book, blowing my bangs out of my face, I frowned. I told them to enter and the door slowly opened. My frown turned into a looked of annoyance. .I was just getting to the good part. "Rose." I sighed, my eyes closing when I saw who it was.

She smiled at me, ignoring the look on my face. She carried a tray that held tea, a sandwich and cookies. "Father Cornello asked me to bring you your lunch." She happily brought the food to me. Rose was so perky. All the time. It was sickening.

"Not hungry." I gazed at the tray, scrunching my nose up. Rose let out a grunt, her hands tightly gripping the tray. I jumped slightly, when she slammed the tray down at the table besides me. The tea splashed out of the cup, some landing on the floor. The cookies crumbled off the tray. I looked up at her, raising my eyebrow at her. "I hope you're going to clean that up." I then retreated back to my book.

"Hikari-Akemi, you haven't since yesterday morning." Rose's fists clenched.

"And? You're not my mother. Why do you care?" I hissed. My focus once again pulled back to her. "You know, it's rude to interrupt someone while they're reading." I stood up, giving up on the book for now. My visits from Rose were never short.

"I care because you need to eat." Her eyes watered.

"You're so emotional." I reached for the sandwich. "Here, happy." I took a bit.

"You're so ridiculous." She mimicked my tone.

"I know." I smirked, smugly.

"Cornello also told me to tell you he would like to see you when you're done with your lunch." She informed me.

I laughed, "Well you can tell that buffoon that he can kiss m-,"

"HIKARI!" Rose shouted, pushing me back a little.

"What?" I shouted back at her. She put her head down, as if she was about to cry. This girl drove me absolutely nuts. She, like everyone else in Lior, was one of Father Cornello's disciples. Thought, I argued that Rose was one of the worst. She was so naïve, needing someone to tell her what to do at every second of the day. Rose was so infected with the idea Cornello implanted in her that he could create miracles if she worshipped his teachings of God. He told her if she prayed her hardest, did everything he had asked of her, God would grant him the power to bring her boyfriend back to life.

"You shouldn't talk about Cornello like that." She said quietly, losing her backbone, like always.

I shook my head. I shouldn't have been surprised. Rose was so ignorant to everything. The only reason why she believed in God and Cornello was because of the promise he gave of bring her boyfriend back. If he was still alive and well, Rose wouldn't care about praying to a God because there was nothing she would want from him. That was the real reason why she prayed and did anything Cornello requested, was because she wanted something. The same could be said about everyone else in Lior. They were just like her, selfish.

"Equivalent Exchange." I said, looking at her right in the eyes. She looked at me, lost at my words. "Equivalent Exchange," I repeated slowly, this time like I was talking to a toddler. "The science of understanding the structure of matter, breaking it down, then after, reconstructing it as something else. The water fountain in the town square that Cornello turned into wine, which was equivalent exchange. He took the water and turned it into wine, something of the same volume and mass. It's not a miracle, it's a science. To create something you need something of equal value to replace it. Science, not God." I walked over to my window, pulling her with me. I pointed out to the town, seeing people walk around. "You see those people? Only people can make people, not some promise by an insane cultist. What could have the same exact value to bring the life of a human back to life? Nothing."

She stared out the window for a moment, silently taking in what I said. I knew that deep down I had wasted my breath. I had given her the same talk every day that she came to see me but she still came back praising that mad man and looking down on me for not believing a word he spoke. "Look Rose, I'm just trying to help you. Cornello took me away from my mother and keeps me locked up here. Is that the work of a saint?"

"But you deserve it!" She said in disbelief. "You put your father through hell by sneaking out doing God knows what! Then you come here and you speak against God. Cornello's _just trying to help you._" She spat. She pushed past me, picking up the tray. "The longer you continue to act like this, the longer you won't go home." With that she hurried out of my room.

I stared back out the window, wishing I could be back out in the world. It's been two years since I was first taken to this place. It killed me because I could see my father's house from here. I wonder what happened to that bastard. A sudden fit of rage entered my body. I punched the wall and let out a strangled cry.

"This sucks!" I let my head hit the window. My body slowly sank to the floor. "I need to get out of this fuckin place."

My blood ran cold when I heard my door open.

"Rose told me you didn't wish to see me." A snake like voice spoke. I bit my lip, I didn't need to look to see who it was. "Hikari-Akemi, my child, why do you disobey the wishes of God? Do you wish to cause you're family more pain and shame? Do you wish to continue to be miserable? Is it the attention it brings to you that you like? Does it make you feel good about yourself? Pride is a sin."

"So is lying and everything else you do." I replied.

I heard the door shut. A click followed. That bastard always remembers to lock the door. I gritted my teeth. His heavy footsteps came closer to my spot in the corner. A chill ran up my spine, already knowing what was coming. It was routine, my body was already ready for this as soon as Rose came in. His fat hands touched my arms, pulling me gently up into a standing position.

"I hope you said your prayers this morning." A hand ran through my hair, "I'm so glad you fixed this back to your natural color. It's such a pretty color." His hand paused when it returned back to my roots. "But it wasn't like this yesterday, so you must've used alchemy recently, which if I'm correct, I forbad you to do." He pulled my hair, dragging me to my bed. He shoved me onto it. This situation was all too familiar. I tried to scream but his used his alchemy that he fooled everyone with and sent electric currents through my veins, silencing me for a moment.

"_Bastard!_" I spat at him.

"You flirty child!" I slapped me square on the mouth. His other hand ripping at my dress. He tore the fabric apart. I closed my eyes until the rest was over.


End file.
